Susie Towsend in Luxury Lifestyle Magazine "This is the one I love recommending to people who think they know English sparkling wine"
Weyborne Estate sits at the highest point of the South Downs National Park, at the source of the River Wey – a setting with a history that stretches back to 1640. Owner Nick Clark planted the first vines in 2007, recognising the exceptional terroir of this high-altitude site. What began as 1.2 hectares has grown to 10 hectares on a rare mix of clay, greensand and chalk soils. Committed to sustainable viticulture, Weyborne produces just two cuvées using the traditional method – every bottle a genuine single-estate expression. A producer most people outside the trade haven’t discovered yet.
2018 Family Reserve
“This is the one I love recommending to people who think they know English sparkling wine. Only 4,000 bottles were produced, which tells you the scale here. It’s 61 per cent Chardonnay, so Blanc de Blancs in style, with 34 per cent Pinot Noir and five per cent Pinot Meunier adding depth. With four years on the lees and zero dosage, the result is a wine of real precision.
“Expect golden apple, ripe apricot, a creamy mousse and a beautifully saline mineral finish. Decanter reviewed it in 2024 and called the palate ‘crisp and vibrant’ with ‘mouth-watering saltiness.’ I’d be surprised if you didn’t agree.”
Tasting notes: Golden apple, ripe apricot, citrus, hazelnut, buttery brioche, saline mineral finish.
Food pairings: Crab with lemon, smoked salmon, paté with pickles, roast poultry.
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